August 27, 2004
Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-4769)
RELEASE: SS04-028
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS04-028
"Success" is the key word this week aboard the International Space
Station (ISS) as maintenance efforts by the Expedition 9 crew paid
off on several major equipment items.
NASA ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke performed the most complex
spacesuit repair job ever conducted in flight on a U.S. spacesuit. He
replaced a water pump in the suit's cooling system. The
four-and-a-half-hour replacement job on Monday was followed by
several hours of tests on Tuesday. The tests showed the new pump
worked perfectly, and engineers on the ground will now determine
whether to declare the spacesuit usable in the future. If so, the
Station would have a complement of two operational U.S. spacesuits. A
third suit also is aboard but has a cooling problem. A second spare
water pump also is aboard the Station in the event managers choose to
attempt similar maintenance on the third suit.
Flight controllers lauded Fincke's work, relaying to him that such
efforts provide not only a better understanding for future Station
operations, but also important data for all future long-duration
space travels.
Also on Monday, Fincke replaced major components in one of the
Station's exercise machines, a resistive exercise device that uses
tension to simulate weights during a workout. He installed new
canisters in the device that are designed to be twice as durable as
the previous canisters used for the machine. He then checked their
operation with a workout, finding the device in excellent condition.
Exercise is vital for the crew as one method of counteracting the
harmful effects of weightlessness on the body. The spare spacesuit
pumps and exercise canisters were delivered to the Station aboard the
Russian Progress cargo spacecraft that arrived Aug. 14.
As this week progressed, Fincke and Expedition 9 Commander Gennady
Padalka turned their attention toward their fourth and final
spacewalk, scheduled for next week. During the Sept. 3 spacewalk,
they'll use Russian spacesuits and exit the Russian Pirs airlock.
Their work outside will include installing three antennas on the
exterior of the Zvezda living quarters module that will aid the
navigation of a new Station supply spacecraft, called the European
Automated Transfer Vehicle, during its maiden flight scheduled for
next year.
Other tasks include replacement of a pump panel on the Zarya module
that is part of the Russian segment's cooling system, installation of
guides for spacesuit tethers on Zarya handrails and the installation
of handrail covers near the Pirs hatch.
This week, Fincke and Padalka reviewed timelines for the spacewalk,
gathered gear and checked the tools they will use. Next Monday,
they'll power up their Orlan spacesuits to check their operation as
they continue their preparations. The spacewalk next Friday will
begin at 12:50 p.m. EDT and last about six hours. The activities will
be broadcast live on NASA Television, beginning at 11:30 a.m. EDT.
Other activities this week included a reboost of the Station
Wednesday. Thrusters on the Progress spacecraft increased the
altitude of the orbiting laboratory by an average of about
two-and-a-half statute miles. The reboost moved the Station closer to
the orbital altitude desired for the arrival of a Soyuz spacecraft
and new crew in October. Another reboost is planned in September to
complete the move. The Station's current orbit has a high point of
about 230 miles and a low point of about 218 miles.
On Monday and Tuesday, Station cameras operated by flight controllers
recorded video of Typhoon Chaba as it moved quickly across the
Philippine Sea with winds of 165 mph. Today, Fincke reported taking a
still photo of Hurricane Frances in the Atlantic Ocean as the Station
flew above that storm.
Information about crew activities on the Space Station, future launch
dates and Station sighting opportunities from Earth, is available on
the Internet at:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/
Details about Station science operations are available on an Internet
site administered by the Payload Operations Center at NASA's Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., at:
http://scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov/
NASA Television is available in the continental U.S. on AMC-6,
Transponder 9C, C-Band, located at 72 degrees west longitude. The
frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is
monaural at 6.80 MHz. In Alaska and Hawaii, NASA Television is
available on AMC-7, Transponder 18C, C-Band, located at 137 degrees
west longitude. Frequency is 4060.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical,
and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.
The spacewalk also will be webcast live on the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
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